The Engagement
by Tahri Veila
Summary: Cato Irons is the Victor of the 73rd Annual Hunger Games. And he wants Clove Emmer, the girl who took no notice of him at The Training Academy. He demands the immediate engagement between the him and Clove, and she is given no choice but to accept the engagement ring. But when unforeseen events occur, Cato will take drastic measures to keep Clove all for himself.
1. Chapter 1, The Victor Arrives

**Hey Guys! It's Tahri! So, I recently began reading Clato stories, and am no a full blown obsessor over it! I just had to write my own. So here it is: An forced marriage between Clove and Cato. Please Follow, Favorite, and Review. I should update tomorrow.**

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**The Engagement **

_Chapter 1, The Victor Arrives_

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It was late morning. Around twelve-ish. This was the latest I had ever stayed in my house till. On a typical day, I'd be out of the house by 4 in the morning.

But the Training Academy was closed today; the only day of the year they ever were. The day our newest Victor returned from the Capitol. When the year's Games Victor wasn't from our District, everyone was still required to meet them at the Train Station unless you were Reaping Assigned (R/A). Which basically means you had been given a year that would be the Games you participated in. If that was the case you were given an official pardon and didn't have to attend. But, if it was our District's Victor, you had to go to see the newest District 2 Victor, even if you were R/A. You couldn't even train later in the day.

And today was that day, we were celebrating our newest victor; and he came from our District. Cato Irons. I remember when I had been at Town Square, and saw Cato's smirk on the large screen when he confronted the boy from 1, Luster. It was an epic showdown to watch. They were both standing at the edge of an ice cap, and they were both badly injured. Cato had a sword and Luster had a knife and a spear. They fought for a good 15 minutes, each of them getting an advantage then losing it. In the end, Cato lured Luster near enough to the edge of the ice cap and kicked him off with all his might, throwing his sword at him as well, in case his kick wasn't strong enough. And then he won.

I didn't remember much about Cato Irons accept that he was the big jock of the Academy. He had the looks, the skills, the charm, and the wealth to insure him the most desired boy in District 2. He would give me with a strange look whenever we trained at the same time. I assume that it was driven by the fact that I was the only trainee who bested him in a competition. It seemed funny that only a few weeks ago he had volunteered and now he returns as a Victor. Boy, I wonder how many girls will be lined up to see him. To me, he was a brutal person who knew no love. Maybe that was an exact description of me, but perhaps I was a Negative. And I needed someone positive.

My house was in a flurry, making preparations to leave. At one o'clock was the big Victor ceremony, at the Train Station platform. My father, the Mayor Castrort of District 2, had already taken me down there along with my two younger siblings, Nero and Claudia. They were twins, but Nero had coppery hair and Claudia had dirty blonde. They were 6, and quite the troublemakers. My mother was firm upon the fact that they wouldn't start training till they were 10. I started when I was 5. But I'm not bitter; I don't care much about my family. I lived with them, but there wasn't 'love' among us. Maybe between Nero, Claudia and mom and dad. But not with me. I train 7 days a week, from 4AM to 9PM. I didn't have much to do anything with them. On Sundays, I only trained from 4AM to 11AM. That was that only day I could actually do something but train.

When I went yesterday with my dad and the twins to the Train Platform, I had been really shocked. They had really cleaned it up, and there were Gold and Blue streamers across the entire platform, Training Academy colors. There was red rug along the platform and several people were already camping outside the ropes to get a spot close to the platform.

"Are you ready, Clove?" My father asks as I finish polishing my knife. It was one of my few pleasures that I did whenever I had time. I loved getting it so gleam so nicely that I can see my own reflection.

"Yeah. Do I need to dress fancy?" I ask my father, who I really thought of us as the Mayor more than my dad. I glance up and see that he is wearing a suit and tie, along with the Mayor's ring.

I hated wearing dresses, because I couldn't fight in them. And if I can't fight in them, I don't like them. Dresses are the dumbest invention ever.

"Of course, dear. Mr. Irons was a training partner of yours was he not?" He asks while adjusting his tie, earning an approving smile from my mother, Marpesia. She was a pretty blonde, who was extremely loving towards me and the twins. But love was foreign to me.

"Sometimes. On rare occasions. He was a whole Cohort higher than me." I tell my father as I stand u; and bound up the steps, nearly knocking Nero down.

"Hey! Watch out, C!" Nero calls out, patting his gelled hair down. "Mom will kill me if my hair is messed up. I'm personally holding you accountable."

I smirk despite myself. "Sure, sure, tough guy." I call back as I round the edge of the staircase and hurry up towards my room. I enter and see that my mother has already laid out a long red evening gown.

Why in the name of President Snow should I have to where a long evening gown? I see no importance for it. Something was up.

I ride with my parents in the hovercraft with my arms folded. My mom had gotten me in full makeup and had my hair in a low side ponytail. I had to admit, I did look beautiful. Not that it mattered. But as my mother always stated, "I am the prettiest girl in the District!"

Claudia sits next to me, her blonde curls in loose bun and she wears a pink sundress. Nero is on my other side, wearing a black suit like my father. I allow myself a small smile at how cute they looked.

"She did it! You owe me 35 bucks, Claude!" Nero yells, bouncing happily in his seat, ignoring the frowns from my parents.

"No, I don't. That wasn't a real smile. It was a half smile." Claudia insists, her lips pursed nervously. I knew whatever bet they made it wasn't because Claudia didn't want to pay' it's because she didn't want to lose the bet.

"What bet? Me smiling?" I demand, whipping around to face Nero. He meets my gaze evenly and shrugs his shoulders.

"Claude said that you wouldn't smile for a whole month. And I said you would. And it hasn't been a month yet. So I win. Thanks C, for the extra cash." Nero says triumphantly and I scowl at my siblings.

"Kids! There will be no more betting in this household. Is that clear?" My mother says with a stern look and my father nods his approval.

"Yes, mommy." They both respond, but Nero continues to rub his fingers together, looking at Claudia for the rest of the ride.

When we finally land, I am stunned at how many people showed up. Lots and Lots of people are crowded along the Train Station, cheering and shrieking even though the Victor hasn't even showed up. But the long silver train was there, so I assume that they are awaiting the speech from the Mayor, and then he will come out. I stand up and head out of the hovercraft and we all hurry to sit down, in a roped off section, directly in front of the Train.

"…we welcome and celebrate our first victor in over 5 years!" My father says as the crowd roars with applause and whistles. District 2. District 2. District 2. The chant goes through the crowd and I can't help but smirk. I had a huge sense of pride for our District and all our victors. Why, Enobaria Golding has been my idol since I was 6.

"He has brought pride to his District, please welcome, Cato Irons, Victor, of the 73th Hunger Games!" My father intones with a booming voice and the crowd is on its feet applauding.

Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! The cheers scream, and Nero plugs his ears.

I am standing as well with a small smile on my face and finally the silver train door slides open and a tall figure steps out, squinting from the sunlight, his hand shielded like a vizier over his face.

His hair is blonder than I remembered. His eyes bluer than the oceans of district 4. His face handsomer than I last saw him. He was more built; his tight suit accented the ripples of his muscles.

He beams and holds his hands up and peers into the crowd. As if he was looking for someone. Everyone screams when he starts to talk, "District 2! We will always be the best!"

I cringe at the noise following and keep my face down to avoid any more noise. But then I get an odd sense. Like I was being watched. It was a feeling that I had gotten when I was stranded in the slums of District 2 in a training exercise.

I look up and my emerald eyes connect with sapphire ones. Cato peers at me with his head slightly tilted and that same expression on his face as he had had before. It makes me uncomfortable, especially after I had seen his ability to fight in the Games. I keep his gaze evenly though, not wanting to show weakness. He must think that he can look at anyone and they'll cringe because he's a Victor.

He doesn't let his gaze done either and he smirks for a second and raises his eyebrow. I don't realize, but at this point, my dad is on the stage, his arm around Cato's shoulders.

"You can talk to Cato at the banquet tonight! My house!" Dad says with a dazzling smile, and then he quickly ushers Cato off the stage and towards our hovercraft. I realize that my family is already trailing not to far Cato and my father, so I pick up the long folds of the red gown and run as fast as I can to keep up.

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**Please Review!**

**Tahri 3**


	2. Chapter 2, The First Conversation

**Thanks for the great reception guys! Sorry this is a little late. Hope you enjoy it, and please continue to review, favorite, and follow.**

**Tahri.**

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**The Engagement**

_Chapter 2, The First Conversation_

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It is a silent ride back to my house. My father and mother sit on either side of Cato on one row, and Claudia, Nero and I sit across from them on another row. I can't shake the feeling that Cato is staring at me. I couldn't say I was scared. I…I could take him on I'm sure. At long distance at least. Hand-to-Hand, though… that was a different story. He was wicked with that sword, earning a spot in the top 3 for the most kills in The Hunger Games. With 12 kills. He killed half of the tributes in his Games. Or more than half since he was one of the 24 tributes.

I refuse to meet his gaze and keep an animated conversation with Nero and Claudia. Turns out they aren't too bad when you get rid of that annoying optimism they always brought with them.

Nero looks towards Cato and leans over to me. He makes a motion with his hand for me to come closer. I do so, and he whispers into my ear, "Victor Irons is looking at you."

_No kidding. _"Yeah, Nero. Act like he's not here." I whisper to him with a pat on his head, and peer over Claudia's shoulder at the window. I was judging we were around 3 minutes away from our house. Only 3 more minutes of awkwardness, and then I would just have to avoid him while he was at our house for the party. I could just hide in my gym, which was hidden under a trap door in my room. Only my dad knew about it being there.

My father turns to Cato and begins to talk to him, breaking the silence. "So, Mr. Irons…" He begins when Cato holds up a hand, stopping him midway through his sentence.

"Please, Mayor Castrort, its Cato. I'm sure we will become very close in the coming days." Cato says cryptically with a velvet voice.

My father smiles, ruffled at how kind this Victor was acting towards him. "Alright, Cato. As I was saying, in your arena, when was your defining moment?"

Cato's eyebrows shoot up. "I'm sorry, my defining moment?" He queries my father politely, apparently unfamiliar with the term.

"It's sort of when you felt and knew deep down inside, that you could win. That you really had a shot at winning. For example, I am a boxing champion. When I went into my Games, and saw that there were no weapons. I pretty much knew the Games where in the bag." My father explains, as my mother and I exchange a look; father was boasting about his Games again.

Cato nods in understanding. He chuckles deeply, and responds, "When I was born." I frown at his boasting and he catches me off guard while I was looking at him. His blue eyes meet mine and I narrow my eyes at him. He smirks and just shakes his head slightly.

"Prepare for exiting, please." An assistant says, giving me the chance to turn away from Cato. I unbuckle Claudia's belt and then turn to unbuckle Nero's.

I stand up and all eyes follow me. My father frowns. "Sit back down, Clove. We haven't landed or rolled down the platform yet."

Cato watches me curiously as I approach the door and turn to my parents. "Mother, father. I'm feeling dreadful. I really have to get out of this tight enclosure." I lie to them as I pull open the hanger door and my mother shrieks.

"Oh, let her Marpesia. Clove's a big girl. She knows what she's doing." My father says proudly, talking to Cato more than to my mom.

"Okay…see you at the house." I tell them and hop off the hovercraft, holding onto the unstable emergency ladder hanging of the side of the door.

I climb down the rungs as the wind blows by my face when I see our house in Victor's Village; I hop off, landing on a shoulder roll. I cleanly stand up and hurry towards the walk of my house. I just killed two birds with one stone; I got away from creepy Victor Cato, and I practiced my jumping from a flying object. It was a test I was scheduled to take in a few days, don't judge.

I pull out my key just as the Hovercraft lands. Several people are already inside the house when I enter. I recognize several prominent District 2 citizens and leaders. Even other Victors. Our house has been decorated beautifully with tables filled with Capitol Delicacies and other expensive foods.

I begin to weave my way through the crowds towards the staircase when I hear, "Clove! Over here!" I turn begrudgingly and find myself face to face with Corvinus, a fellow trainee. He is the son of Brutus Antiope, the famous Victor.

I pull on my signature bored face and raise an eyebrow questioningly. "What is it, Antiope? I haven't got all day." I tell him roughly.

He smiles despite my roughness. Did I mention how much I hated happy go lucky people?

"I just wanted to chat with you about how cool it is to have personally known a victor!" He says with grin. I frown, giving him a hard stare. How I despised that word. Chat. Ugh.

"My dad is a victor, and so is yours. Isn't that cool?! Conversation over." I tell him sarcastically and hurry up the stairs.

It's nice to have to sound of people partying quiet down as I get further up the stairs. It wasn't that I had anything against parties; it was just that I had never been to one really.

I enter my room and push my large bed easily to the side. I jerk on the string of the trap door and the top snaps open. I dip myself in and reach for the ladder. I decide not to close the hatch in case my mother started yelling for me to come.

I slowly hasten down the ladder, a 3 story climb. When I reach the bottom of the 2 by 3 hole I'm in, I reach for the small door's handle and twist it, entering my private gym.

"Finally, peace and quiet." I say to the comforting darkness. I flick on the lights and watch as they illuminate the underground room, my sanctuary.

It wasn't small; it wasn't big. It was just a nice space that I had padded to practice at on off days. I never really believed in the fact of not practicing on some days. I needed to train every single day if I was going to win the Games.

I walk over to my Knife rack. It was my most prized possession. Knives from all over Panem. My father had even picked some up used in past Hunger Games. It was not debatable in District 2 that Clove Emmer is the most skilled knife thrower. My knives had deadly precision, hitting the heart of every dummy, every single time. And these dummies were built with the texture of the strongest human skin. So cutting into the dummy's outer layer was like lodging into a human body.

I pick some up and practice 4 in hand. It wasn't really up my alley, but nonetheless I still excelled in it. The time ticks by unknowingly to me and I finally master the X-87 Attack Combo.

I'm about to throw my final knife when a voice rings through my underground gym. "Excellent. Finest execution of the X-87 I've ever seen. Especially in a dress."

I whirl around, knife raised after not recognizing the voice when I see the handsome face of Cato Irons, looking directly at me. He is leaning on one of the crude walls, his arms folded in a lazy manner.

I clutch my knife a little tighter at his words, in case he had traveled down here to finish me off. I doubted it, but maybe he was going to strike.

"What do you want, Mr. Irons?" I ask formally, turning back to my knife boards. I decide that the best plan is not to act nervous. Just continue doing what I'm doing.

"Just wanted to say hi to an old friend from the days in the Academy." He says smoothly. I can almost hear him smirking…if that was even possible.

I throw a knife at a 30 foot away target. It hits the target. "Don't play with me, Mr. Irons. We were not friends at the Academy." I tell him as I ready my arm for another throw.

"That's the problem. You see, we should have been friends. We could have been friends. Great friends. But you never seemed to respond to anything I would do for you, Clove." He says almost sorrowfully.

I continue focusing my attention at my knives. "I don't have time for friends, Cato. You know that, I know that. Now, you have a party going on, above. Let me train in peace." I tell him, annoyed.

He stays silent so I finally turn around. "Look, Cato. I don't know what you're deal is. You have a party in your honor going on up there. Why in Panem are you down here." I tell him squarely. He stands there, in a black fitted suit with his blonde hair gelled so it curves up just a bit on the front. He just continues staring at me with that strange look; the one I'd never been able to decipher. Most boys I met gave me that type of look.

He looks at me and walks closer. "Just seeing if we could have done this the easy way. The best way. The way I always wanted it to be." He says, stopping directly in front of me.

"We? What are you talking about?" I demand, my patience running thin. I never was the patient one, or the calm one, or the kind one.

He just smiles and turns around to leave. He opens the small door and begins to leave when I call out, "How did you even know I was down here? How did you even know this place existed?"

"I know a lot about you Clove. I know everything about you." He says, his voice fading as he climbs upstairs.

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**Hope you enjoyed it! I'm thinking about throwing in a Cato's POV next chapter. In your review tell me whether you want that or not. If I get enough pro-Cato POV reviews, I'll do it. Hopefully next chapter will be tomorrow:)**

**Tahri**

**P.S) For ****_Panem High_**** Readers, update is coming soon, don't worry :)**


	3. Bonus: Chapter 3, It's All Arranged

**RARE CATO'S POINT OF VIEW**

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_Chapter 3, Bonus Chapter, It's All Arranged_

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It was still pretty early for me to retire for the night, but I was determined to get Clove's dad alone. I was going to ask for Clove's hand in marriage. Regardless of whether he gave his consent or not, Clove and I will be engaged by tomorrow night. It was just a formality. And besides, he was a Victor as well—he deserved some respect. I would take a grand step and be polite to him, proving myself worthy of being his eldest daughter's husband.

Sometimes I ask myself when my infatuation with Clove began. And usually I think back to the first day at the Academy. It was her first day, and mine as well. We had just turned six a few months before, and we were listening to a speech from Brutus about life at the Academy.

Well, like every other male, she caught my eye as beautiful. Not really the conventional 'beautiful' which is usually a blonde with blue eyes, who wears a ton of makeup. No, Clove had raw beauty, something that was just fascinating to me, with her long raven colored hair, and sparkling green eyes. Her face was heart shaped, with just a few freckles sprinkled around her nose.

I remember I tried to sit next to her but someone beat me. I talked to her at the end of the day, when we were heading home. I asked what her name was, where she lived, among other things. I remember how annoyed she was, her rosy lips pulled into a frown at the delay of her leaving.

Eventually I had to train for several years without worrying about girls. But at around 13 I started noticing her again. She was always there at the knives rack. All day long everyday training with those precious knives of hers. I tried talking to her suggestively, but she always shooed me off. I'm training, can't you see? Is what I heard for years. It infuriated me, since girls threw themselves at my feet, doing anything but training. And I mean anything. And I went along with it for a while, spending time with a girl, than dumping them once a prettier one came along.

I always told myself I wouldn't fall in love, but it just happened. I slowly fell in love with Clove, I guess. I suppose it was when she did a quarterly evaluation and executed perfection in knives. I guess I had a thing for tough girls. Tough and stunning girls, which Clove was.

I see Mr. Emmer and quickly head over towards him. He turns to me and waves me over, ending his conversation with a District official.

"Cato! How are you enjoying the party, son?" He asks fondly patting me on the back. I almost flinch at his touch, memories from the arena shooting back through my head. But I keep my cool, staying focused on what I came to accomplish.

"Very good, sir. I have something big to tell you." I say to him solemnly and The Mayor perks up immediately. He nods and leads me over to a door and unlocks it.

It's his office apparently. Books line the walls and a long mahogany desk lies in the center of the large room.

The Mayor takes a seat behind his desk and motions for me to sit on one of the other chairs in the room.

I do as he wants, and am about to open my mouth to speak when he says, "Now, Cato, my boy. What is it that is 'big'?"

He gives me his full attention and a smirk slowly pulls across my face. "I would like to ask for your blessing in the marriage of Clove and I."

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**Hey guys! Super Duper Short chapter. Just Cato asking for Clove's hand in marriage. Thanks for all the reviews! Keep them coming! :)**

**Tahri**


	4. Chapter 4, Deep in the Meadow

**Hey guys! Sorry for not updating in...ugh, i don't even want to count how long. Here is an average sized chapter, hope you enjoy! Remember to keep reviewing! I love you all so much, I wish I could go to your house and give you a hug, but that would be creepy and against the law probably. So i'll give you each a virtual hug instead! *HUGS***

**Tahri**

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**The Engagement **

_Chapter 4, Deep in the Meadow_

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The rest of the trainees throw food at each other as soon as Trainer Vikus leaves the mess hall. The meal is potatoes and chicken as usual, but today, to honor Cato's victory, we get to have our potatoes _mashed_, with _gravy._

I don't know why the Trainers even considered this as an idea. Of course the gooey substance would be used for a massive food fight. One that I want no part of.

The fight goes on for a full 15 minutes, with people using trays to deflect and even loading slingshots full of gravy. I try to eat my food as quietly as possible, my mind wandering back to Cato's behavior of the previous night.

But of course, someone just had, to throw something at me, even though I'm a pacifist in all of this.

"Heads up, Clove!" Corvinus Antiope warns at me and I reflexively duck my head. The clump of mashed potatoes hurtles past my head and hits Tyker, a close friend of mine, in the face.

Tyker's face and blond hair is so full of mashed potatoes that I burst out laughing. "Nice look, Tyk. Really compliments that frown on your face." I tell him honestly, and the 12 or so teens in the mess hall laugh at him.

With a playful growl, Tyker scoops some of the gooeyness off his face and hurls it at me. I dodge it quickly.

"My reflexes are faster than lightning." I tell him smugly, in which he frowns. He opens his mouth to respond when the loud voice of Enobaria echoes throw the large room.

"Silence!" She says sternly, and the entire room falls silent. I glance to my right and see Tyker with a red face because of the mashed potatoes on his face. Must be embarassing, in front of a Victor. Ouch.

"You're dead." He mouths to me and I hold my hands out exaggeratively. What the hell did I have to do with him being hit? Well, besides ducking so that the potatoes would hit him and not me.

The daunting figure of 32 year old brunette Enobaria strolls over to our table, where the advanced group sits. She looks each of us over with an expressionless face, before saying, "You should all be ashamed."

She lets it sink in and every trainee adopts a somber expression. I do too. Because she could have punished us physically, but no. She chose something worse. She says we are a shame. This, in District 2, is the cruelest punishment you can receive.

"Victor Irons is here to watch your training, and I walk in to find you acting like some imbecile children from an outlying District." Enobaria scolds, before walking over to a dark haired boy, who I'm pretty sure is Damin, the usual prankster of the Academy.

A loud slap rings through the mess hall as Enobaria's hand makes contact with Damin's cheek. "I don't have to ask to know that you most likely started this, Damin."

"Yes, Ma'am." Damin concedes, hanging his head in shame. We all shoot Damin sympathetic looks, before Enobaria says sternly, "Now go to the Training Gym where Victor Irons is, and please, don't make him regret coming."

I shoot to my feet, as does everyone else, and hurry to shuffle out of the mess hall. After seeing the mashed potatoes on the floor and on faces, I didn't really have an appetite.

Corvinus and Tyker fall into step with me, as we head through the marble double doors. "Damn, Enobaria was pissed!" Corvinus says with a shake of his head.

I nod in agreement. "I know, and what's the big deal anyways? Just 5 months ago, Cato trained for 16 years at this place. He knows how we act when trainers aren't around." I say grumpily, as we head through the Hallway, staying behind the rest of the advanced trainees.

"And I'm still hungry."Tyker grumbles, and Corvinus says laughingly, "Here's a spoon, just scoop it off your face."

I laugh at Tyker's beet red face before we make the familiar left turn into the legendary District 2 Training Gym.

I tune out Tyker and Corvinus as my eyes scan the viewing box in the training room, which is designed to look just like the box the gamemakers sit in while they watch the tributes train.

Sure enough, the handsome and frightening boy that is Cato Irons watches with a smug expression on his face.

And for the first time in my life, I'm uncomfortable. I grew up being taught that I shouldn't give a damn about what others think about me. But no, this weird expression on his face is nothing short of creepy.

And his words of last night gave off the stalkerish ring, "_I know a lot about you Clove. I know everything about you."_

Nah, that's not messed up at all, I think sarcastically.

But soon, thoughts of Cato are lost as I duel 5 trainees in the Ring, and emerge victorious in all 5 matches. Once Cato left, it pretty much guaranteed me top spot at the Academy.

I'm working with the spears when Enobaria's voice comes over the speakers, "Clove Emmer, please go to the grounds immediately."

I freeze in my spot as I try to locate someone to explain to me why I need to go there, but no person of authority is there.

With an annoyed huff, I throw one last spear wildly, and pretend not to notice when it doesn't even hit the target.

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The grounds are the only beautiful part of the Academy. In my opinion at least. Ask Corvinus or Tyker and they'll say the sword section. The Grounds expand around Corpri Lake, with some benches and trees and flowers.

Each trainee is given 15 minutes in the Grounds everyday, a chance to be in the sunshine, before heading back into the lit Academy. As much as I disguised it, I loved to sit in the sunshine, and just relax.

I walk around the benches, pavilions, and gardens, but see no one. After doubling around Corpri Lake, I scowl in annoyance.

Why the hell am I supposed to be out here? Was it really Enobaria's voice? Yes, I remember it clearly. She said come to the Grounds. But here I am, and there's no one here.

I shrug my shoulders and head past the large oak tree, and hop over the fallen log to head to the meadow, my favorite spot to rest during Grounds time.

No one really ever came here. At least, if they did, it was never when I had Grounds time. It's secluded by trees, with grass and some flowers. No bench, no tire swing. Just flower filled grass.

I had slept only 45 minutes last night, because of the party and proper celebrations for the Victor. Allowing tiredness to overcome me, I sit down in the grass and slowly lie down, basking in the feel of the warm sunlight shining on me.

And before I knew it, I was fast asleep, ignorant to the fact that a tall blond was watching my every move.

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My dreams are always stupid. Always about losing the games and whatnot. And some, even about Nero or Claudia dying. As stupid and embarrassing as it sounds, I'm terrified of the fact of my family dying. Though never close to them, they still held a special place in my stony heart. And my mind never ceased to taunt me about my weakness in my dreams at night. Or morning. Or afternoon. Because I usually slept more in the afternoon than at night.

I reach out to pull my comforter of me, but my hands grabs air. Startled, I sit up quickly, looking around me.

The sunlight temporarily blinds me, and I squint. It takes me around two seconds to realize it's during the day, and five seconds to realize I'm in my meadow.

And then it comes back to me, the fact that I fell asleep while waiting for whoever it was that called me out here. I frown angrily at the fact that I am sleeping when I should be training, a first time feat, but stop when I feel the familiar sense that I'm not alone.

I slowly scan the woods, but see nothing, not even a squirrel or pigeon. Confused, I lie back down for a second before I gasp in disbelief and shock.

He lies there, as if he had every right to be there, merely a foot away from me. His hands fold over his chest, with a peaceful expression on his face as he watches me.

I'm so shocked that I don't even move or make a peep. I just continue to stare at Cato, as he stares back at me.

"Fancy meeting you here." He jokes lightly, raising an eyebrow as if surprised. And that's when it clicks; he's the one who called me out to the Grounds.

My mouth opens to shoot something sarcastically back, "yes, what a surprise", but instead my anger gets the best of me.

"What the hell are you doing here Cato?! You can't just follow people, it creepy." I scream, sitting up instantly.

To his credit, Cato doesn't blow up as well, but just keeps that cocky smirk on his face. How I wish I could just wipe it off his face.

"Just wanted to talk Clover, don't kill me." Cato says with a feigned expression of hurt. He makes puppy eyes and I resist the urge to slap him. No matter how much I want to, I have to respect him; he's a Victor after all.

"Just talk? You could have talked to me after training! You can't just make me miss my training! Just who do you think you are?" I demand of him, annoyed.

Cato props himself up with his elbows, and smirks, "A Victor." He responds evenly, that smirk playing on his face.

Touché. I don't say that out loud of course, I just glare at him with the fiercest expression I can muster.

He tilts his head and says, "You look hot when you're mad, did you know that?" Cato looks innocently at me and my anger increases tenfold.

"That's it. I try to be polite, but this is really it. Whatever you wanted to talk about can wait." I tell him, standing up. I dust glower pollen off my white, tight, jumpsuit training uniform, and begin to head back in the direction of the Academy when Cato grabs my hand, forcing me to stay in place.

My eyes immediately look down to the knife in my boot, calculating how long it would take for me to grab it.

Cato notices and rolls his eyes. "I'm not gonna kill you, Clove. Seriously, how could I talk to you if you were dead?" He states, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

I yank my arm free, and my eyes flash dangerously. "I have to train, I'm volunteering next year, Cato. Whatever it is, it can wait I'm sure." I tell him, my eyes daring him to respond.

His ice blue eyes dance as he moves to sit back down in the grass.

Nearly giddy with relief, I say airily, "It's not like it's a marriage proposal or anything." I laugh at loud at the absurd thought, but tense when he doesn't answer me.

I turn back around to face him, and he's on one knee, with a small box in his hand.

No, no, no, no! My mind races and my heart pounds as he opens the small box to reveal a stunning diamond ring, the diamond cut to look like a rose. The white gold wraps around the diamond to look like leaves.

I'm petrified in place when Cato's velvet voice says, "Clove Emmer, will you marry me?"

* * *

**So there it is, the proposal. I'm not sure when I'll update as usual. But remember, reviews encourage me to update :) Tell me what you thought about this chapter in a PM or review.**

**Tahri**


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